The present invention relates to a transmission data processing method and processing device and more particularly relates to a transmission data processing method and processing device for large volumes of broadcast program data at broadcast stations.
At broadcast stations, broadcast program data such as, for example, commercial programs etc. is stored on a data storage medium referred to as a library. Broadcast program data is then played back as required in accordance with the program broadcast schedule and broadcasted. With the transmission of this broadcast program data, a transmission system comprising a workstation or personal computer receives transmission data in advance from the data storage medium under the control of a higher-level host computer so as to give an automatic operation where the transmission system transmits broadcast programs based on the received transmission data.
However, in a related transmission system for commercials etc. for broadcast stations, the transmission data is received directly from the higher-level host computer but as there is a limit to the data processing power of the transmission system, it has been difficult to, for example, receive and process large quantities of transmission data spanning a few weeks at one time.
Namely, with usual computers applicable to transmission systems there is a limit to the transmission data that can be stored, with these computers not being suited to storing large amounts of data exceeding, for example, two to three days of transmission data.
Further, when the transmission data is stored as a file and file making and management processes are carried out with respect to this file, this file making and management processing is carried out in parallel with the work of transmitting the transmission data. There is therefore a fear that the transmission system will be a hindrance to the transmission processing of the transmission data itself.
Further, when the transmission system receives a large amount of transmission data from an upper level host computer, the data capturing itself is time consuming and is a hindrance to transmission.
Resolving the above problems on the side of the upper-level host computer has been considered but the upper level host computer side also exerts overall control over complex transmissions. The device would therefore have to be added to in order to carry out the more complex control involved in processing large amounts of data exceeding the amount of transmission data for two or three days. This makes the device extremely large, makes operation complicated and the cost prohibitive.
On the other hand, with a small scale system in which a host computer does not exist, a large amount of transmission data is given at one time and this transmission data is not held. Therefore, as an operator or manager has to directly carry out operations for the inputted transmission data, that person has to stay permanently to carry out these operations and therefore cannot move away from the transmission system for a long period of time.